Stand attachment for musical instruments



g 1950 v. J. LAWRENCE V 2,517,896

STAND ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 7, 1949 2Sheets-Sheet l ii? I as 1- Y $4, 4.2 I I 24- I '1 ji -TI All. ATTORNEYAug. 8, 1950 v. J. LAWRENCE STAND ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1949 Patented 8, 1950 UNITED OFFICE STANDATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Victor Joseph Lawrence, Pittsburgh,Pa.

Application January 7, 1949, Serial No. 69,715

8 Claims.

My invention relates to stands for musical instruments such as guitarsand the like for sup-- porting them on a substantially horizontalsurface at a predetermined angle to the erect posi tion. It is animprovement in stand attachments disclosed in my co-pending applicationSerial No. 41,764, filed on July 31, 194.8.

The improvement of my present invention over the previously disclosedone is generally that the bracket mounted on the musical instrumentisshaped to form a pair of" supporting legs represented by two protruding.and sufiiciently spaced apart heels to serve as astand support and. alsocarrying hingedly a fol'dable plate with two spreadable legs mountedthereon, together with positioning means for making these legs establishadditional support areas spaced apart still further than those of theheels of the bracket and at suitable distance from them for establishingadequate support for, and insuring stable equilibrium of the instrument.

My present invention also obviates the clawbacks existing withconventional stands requiring. slow and careful handling of theinstrument when placing it on a separate conventional stand, theretention of the instrument on the conventional stand by gravity only,which is inadequate, the relative ease by which the instrument may bedislodged and toppled ove from such a stand and the necessity ofcarrying the conventional stand separately and outside of'the case ofthe instrument.

These and other drawbacks I discussed in more detail in my abovementioned pending application, hence it will not be necessary toelaborate on them here again. It should be suificient to say that mypresent invention obviates these and other drawbacks by-providing astand attachment which is firmly securable to the instrument to besupported and in the folded position is protruding relatively littletherefrom so that the instrument can be played conveniently while thestand attachment is fixed thereto, it can be folded and unfolded withease by the player and placed, mounted on the instrument, with it in itscase so that it need not be carried separately.

Hence one object of my invention is to provide a stand attachment formusical instruments such as guitars and the like which is firml butreleasably mounted on the instrument, has a mounting bracket oflaterally suihciently extending base portion constituting a pair ofsupporting legs of suitable stability and which carries hingedly mountedthereon a plate having spreadable legs and positioning means foroperating them.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described inwhich a bracket, adapted to be secured to the instrument, hingedlycarries a plate provided with two spreadable legs, guide means fordirecting them into the desired positions, positioning means to operatethem manually and stop means for limiting the end positions of the plateas well as those of the spreadable legs.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the type set forth which issecurely attachable to the instrument and foldable into the space inclose proximity thereto sov that the instrument may be played and/orstored in its case with the device mounted thereon.

Another object is to provide a stand attachment for musical instrumentswhich has supporting legs equipped with resilient caps giving elasticand safe support to the instrument and.

guard against injury of the user.

Another object is to provide a stand attachment of simple construction,reliable operation which is inexpensive to manufacture.

The accomplishment of these and other objects will become clear whenreading the following description in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing in which Fig. 1 is the vertical side view of the firstembodiment of my invention chiefly in section, the stand attachmentbeing shown in folded position fastened to a guitar broken away;

Fig. 2 is the elevational view of this first embodiment in foldedposition, as seen from the rear side that is toward the musician playingthe instrument; the spreadable legs are also shown in dot and dash linesin spreaded position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device attached to theinstrument shown set up upon a substantially horizontal surface;

Fig. 4 is the plan view of the bracket alone as viewed from below.

Fig. 5 is the rear view partiall in section, of the hinged plate and thespreadable legs mounted thereon as cut away from the bracket on brokenline 5--5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is the partial side view, partly in section, of a modified formof the device in which. the threaded fulcrum pin carrying the spreadablelegs is lockable by a coacting nut;

Fig. '7 is the side view, partly in section, of another embodlment ofthe invention in which the device is attached. to a musical instrumentby means such as wood screws and i shown in erected position on asubstantially horizontal surface; in dot and dash line is indicated thecontracted position of the spreadable legs as well in erect as in thefolded positions;

Fig. 8 is a fragmental view, partly in section, of the detached brackettaken on line 8-8 in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is the front elevational view of this other embodiment in whichthe bracket is partially broken away and partiall cut away on the brokenline 9--9 in Fig. 7

Fig. 10 is the rear elevational view of this device bracket 20.

in folded position the spreadable legs being shown in their spreadedposition by clot and dash lines; Fig. 11 is a partial sectional View ofa modified spreadable leg having a circumferential groove and carrying aresilient cap shown to be made from rubber;

' Fig. 12 is a partial-sectional view of the modified spreadable leg andits resilient cap taken on line l2--I2 inFig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a partial sectional view of a bracket having a base portionwith modified heel carrying a circumferential groove to retainthe beadof a resilient cap shown to be made from rubber;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken on broken line I 4-l4 in Fig. 13.

Identical parts are designated by the same numerals throughout theseveral figures of the drawing.

Referring closer to Figures 1 to illustrating the first embodiment of myinvention, the bracket generally designated by 20 has an upright portion22, sidewardly extending base portion 24 having two heels 26 protrudingtherefrom downwardly,

and bottom portion 28 which is substantially perpendicular to baseportion24, and upright portion 22. As best seen in Fig. 4 bottom portion28 carries a centrally disposed preferably open end slot 30. Bracket 20is shown to be made from sheet material which may be metal, plastic,etc. It may be conveniently punched out of a sheet in form of a suitableblank the bottom portion 28 being formed by bending a correspondingextension of' upright portion 22 at 90 in forward direction which isthat toward the instrument to which it will be attached. The heels 26are sufficiently spaced apart to define a baseline of suitable lengthfor safe support. The heels serve also the purpose to bridge overpossible unevenness of the supporting surface. As best shown in Fig. 1slot 30 accommodates attachment means such as screw 32 which is insertedin hole 34 conventionally provided in base beam, 36 and bottom wall 38of guitar 4!] to be supported. Washers 42 of suitable resilient andrelatively soft material such as fibre plastic, etc., serve todistribute the gripping pressure upon the instrument without crushing orinjuring the affected portions thereof. Nut 44, shown to be a wing nutto dispense with the necessity of a wrench at the assembly, coactingwith washer 46, fixes with sufficient frictional force the instrument4!] to bottom portion 28 of bracket 20 preferably in a position in whichrear wall 4| of instrument 40 abuts liner 48. Liner 48, made fromrubber, felt, leather, and the like elastic and relatively softmaterial, is fastened by any approved means such as rivets 50, shown, tobracket 20 and serves as padding to prevent any damage to the instrument which may result from fastening it to' Bottom portion 28 and slot3!]: are suitably dimensioned to acommodate a variety of instruments ofdifferent dimensions. Instead of rivets 50, liner 48 may be fastened tobracket 20 with screws, staples, suitable cement, adhesive layer, etc.Screw 32 is shown to be solid but it may be tubular to accommodateconductors (not shown) of an electric pickup device employed in socalled electric guitars. Instead of screw 32 a. stud with a suitable nutmay also be employed.

Fixed to, or integral with, the upper region of upright portion 22 andprotruding therefrom rearwardly are lugs 52 carrying fulcrum pin 54retained by conventional means such as cotter pin 56 for oscillatablymounting plate 58 that has fixed thereto, or integral therewith, cam 66on its upper central portion. At its lower region plate 58 carries twostirrups substantially symmetrically disposed to its center line andsuitably spaced apart. I V I As best seen in Fig. 1 cam 60 haskoperativesurfaces 64, '65" and 68 suitable angular and dimensional relationship.Flat spring if! fixed to upright portion 22 by any approved means suchas rivets 72, shown, has suitable shape to coact with surface 64 of cam60 in folded position of plate 58 tending to retain it in this positionin which it is substantially parallel to upright portion 22.

As shown in Fig. 3 spring ill also coacts with surface 66 and retains itresiliently after plate 58 (and with it cam 60 is turned by apredetermined angle rearwardly at which angle surface 68 contactsupright portion 22 of bracket 20 positively stopping its furtherrearward oscillation.

Plate 58 is provided with central slot l2 extending from the upperregion of plate 58 to its lower region in which slot pin 16 is slidinglyreciprocably accommodated. Pin l8 oscillatably carries two spreadablelegs 18 and has at both ends suitable heads all and 82 havingappropriate shoulders 84 and 86 for retaining pin it and with it legs 18at all times in sliding contact with plate 58. The head at the rear endof pin 16 is preferably shaped as a knob shown to be riveted to pin 16and having shoulder 84 reaching over the width of slot 74 slidinglycontacting plate 58. The head 82 at the front end of pin 16 ispreferably disk-shaped forming shoulder 86 slidingly contacting one ofthe spreadable legs l8. Fixed to the head 82 and protruding toward thefront therefrom is a stop member shown to be spherically ended dog 88made of relatively resilient, compressible, vibration and soundabsorbing material, such as rubber, impregnated fabric, felt, fibre,plastic, etc. Each of the spreadable legs i8 is milled to half thicknessadjacent to fulcrum pin 16 so that they may be oscillated on each otherwhen both are insliding contact with plate 58.

Upright portion 22 is provided with an aperture 90 of suitable shape andlocation for snugly receiving and by friction retaining therein dog 88when plate 58 is in folded position and knob 89 is in, respectivelyclose to its top position. The spreadable legs 78 are retained at alltimes in sliding contact with plate 58 by pin 76 and by stirrups B2.

The first embodiment operates as follows:

For fastening the stand attachment to a musical instrument, such as aguitar 4D, screw 32 carrying washer 42 is'inserted into hOle 34 of theguitar 40 and bracket 2!! with its upright portion 22 and liner 48 isplaced adjacent to the central lower portion of the rear wall 4! of theinstrument so that the threaded end of screw 32 with loosened wing nutv44 protrudes through washer 42, line 48, slot 30 and washer46 frombottom portion 28 of bracket 20. Subsequently wing nut 44 is tighteneddeveloping suitable friction between the instrument, the Washers, theliner and bottom portion 28 to fix the bracket 28 securely to theinstrument during use as well as storage thereof inits case.

To place the attachment in folded position, the operator, holding withone hand the instrument, pushes with his other hand knob Bil close toits top position shifting spreadable legs upwardly substantially withinthe projection of plate 58 and simultaneously swinging plate 58 intoparallel alignment with upright portion 22 of bracket 20. Dog 88,. due;to. the. guiding effect of, its

rounded endportion, .is pressed into aperture 90 in .whiclrit isretainedby friction and also by the urge of spring 10 contacting flatsurface 64 of cam 6i); and resiliently; opposingoscillation of plate 58.

To place the device. inunfoldedposition, ready to support the.instrument on a .substantially horizontal surface suchas the floor,podium, stage, shelve, etc., the. operator getshold of: knob 80 pullsit.rearwardlyoscillatin thev plate 58 against the resilientretainingforce of. spring I out of theparallel and-into an.-angularpositionrelative to" upright portion 22. as determined by surface 68 ofcam 8-8 that contactsthe rear surface of upright ZZ-limiting therearward swing ofplate.

vertical projection of the centerrof gravity of the combined instrumentand stand. The weightof the instrument urgingthe legs lainto theiroutermost spreaded-position as determined by their contact points withstirrups 62 and the end of central slot id forming a downward stop forpin it will retainlegs 78 in their'spreaded position.

Fig, 6 shows a modification of the first embodiment of my inventionconsisting in employing screv 92 to fulcrum spreadable-legs. l8. Screw92 has a threaded end portion and prismatic or flattened portion 94 thatslidingly fits into slot 2 3 preventingturning and head 96 towhich dog88 is rigidly fastened. Wing. nut $38 coacts. with threaded portion ofscrew 82- and. serves to tighten spreadable legs 38 to plate 58 by,friction selectively in their folded, respectively spreaded positionsconstituting an added means for locking legs "I8. Washer 99 (shown indot and dash lines), preferably of material having highfrictionalcoefficienu may be inserted between wingnut Q8 and plate 58 for addedsecurity.

The operation of this modified form is substantially the same asthat ofthe first embodiment except that wing nut QBis-released and tightenedbefore, respectively after, setting spreadable legs I8.

Figures '7 to 10 show another embodiment of my invention.

As best shown in Figures 7. and 8, the bracket, generally designated byI05, has upright portion I02, base portion I94 sidewardly protrudingtherefrom carrying downwardly extending spaced apart heels I06, andbottom portion I08 whichis substantially perpendicular to uprightportion I92 abutting forwardly therefrom. and is pro.- vided withsuitable attachment meanssuch as holes I09 andscrews Ill) to fasten'ittothe instrumentI I2.

Lugs 52, rigidly fixedto,orintegralwith, and.

region cam IIS. This cam is fixed to, or integral with, plate He and hasthreeoperative surfaces H8, I26 and; I22 in suitable angular and.dimen--sional. relationship. for coaction with resilient means. such as fiatspring I24 and with a rear ward surface of; upright portion 0235119118111- after described in detail.

Spring I213 is rigidly attached to upright portion Ie2,.by any approvedmeans such as rivets. I23, shown. Aperture I25 in upright I02 admitspartof spring I24 to. reduce the space needed for the device. A central slotM extends fromthe upperto the lower region of'plate I I4 andreciprocably mounts pin I26 that oscillatably carries two spreadablelegs I28 and has a preferably flat.

head. I 3il at one end and knob I32 at its otherencl limiting'spreadablelegs I23 into sliding contact: with plate H4. One of legs I28'issuitablybent.

Plate IM has two pairsof outer and inner apertures in its lower regionwhich are suitably. spaced apart and the developed blanks of which areshown indot and dash lines on the right hand side of Fig. 9. Each pairof the apertures consists of one substantially U-shaped outer apertureI34 surrounding from 3 sides an inner aperture I36 that equalssubstantially the cross sec-- tional area of" one spreadable leg I28.The two flaps determined by the outer apertures are bent forwardly at atthe line between the end. points of the legs of the U-shaped outer" apertures !34 so that the inner apertures I36 admit.

the spreadable legs when they slidingly contact plate H4 thereby servingas guides for the legs.

The fulcrum pin I26 is shown to be the same type as "Iii-of the firstembodiment (but may be in Fig. 10 the upright portion I02 carries stop139 which is made preferably of resi ient, soundand vibration absorbingmaterial, such as rubber, plastic, felt, impregnated fabric, etc.,havingsuitableshape to be wedged with resilient pressure the spacebetween the spreadable legs in their folded or upper position pressingthem against the outer sides of inner apertures I36 preventing theirvibration and rattling. Stop I38 .is rigidlytfixed to upright portionIE2 by any approved means of attachment, such as by rivets I39, shown.Stop I38 acts as a cushion and I refer to it also as such.

Resilient, relatively soft liner i33, made of rubber, felt, fabric,plastic, etc., is interposed be-- upon resilient stop or cushion I38.

Figures 11 and 12 are cross sectional views of a modified form ofspreadable legs designated by M0 each leg carrying at its end portion acircumferential groove I42 mounting bead I44 of resilient cap Hi6 whichmay be made of rubber, rubberized fabric, etc. for elasticallysupporting the stand, absorbing sound and vibration, increasing thefriction to prevent slipping and for preventing injury to the operatorduring handling.

Cap I46 has somewhat smaller inner dimensions than the correspondingones of legs I40 so that the'caps are expanded during mounting and exertresilient compression upon the legs on which thecaps are retained. byfriction and also bybead Mlioccupying groove Hi2.

' i igures'ls and Mare cross sectional views of theiheels of a modifiedbase portion, designated by I -8, of a bracket. Heels I50 have each. acircumferential groove 152 for engaging bead 854 of resilient cap I56which is of similar material and has'the same action and purpose thanthose of previously described cap I46.

Having described and illustrated preferred embodiments of my inventionit will be understood that several changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, hence I donot intend to-be limited by these illustrative embodiments but only bythe appended claims.

-'What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

*1; A bracket having liner means to prevent Wearing of the object towhich it is attached, attachment means releasably fixing said bracket tosaid object, a plate oscillatably attached to said bracket, a pluralityof spreadable legs on said plate, positioning means thereon, guidemeanson said plate keeping said legs in Sliding contact withi aid plate, andstop means acting upon said legs limiting their motion in folded as.well as in'spreaded position, said bracket having an upright portion, abase portion crosswise extendingtherefrom carrying two spaced apart,downwardly protruding heels, and a slotted bottom portionperpendicularly disposed thereto, and

said positioning means including a central slotv running in up-and downdirection in said plate, and a fulcrum pin oscillatably mounting saidlegs and reciprocably arranged in said slot.

2. A bracket having liner means to prevent wearing of the object towhich it is attached, attachment means releasably fixing said bracket tosaid object, a plate oscillatably attached to said bracket, a pluralityof spreadable legs on said plate, positioning means thereon, guide meanson said plate keeping said legs in sliding contact with said plate andstop means acting upon said legs, limiting their motion in folded aswell as in spreaded position, aid bracket having an.

upright portion, a base portion crosswise extending therefrom carryingtwo spaced apart, downwardly protruding heels, and a slotted bottomportion perpendicularly disposed thereto, and said positioning meansincluding a central slot running in up-and down direction in said plate,a'fulcrum pin oscillatably mounting said legs and reciprocably arrangedin said slot, said guide means including two stirrups rigidly fixed tothe bottom region of said plate protruding therefrom sufiiciently' toencircle free fiittingly each one of said legs, and said stop meansincluding a dog fixed to said fulcrum pin and a correspondingly shapedaperture suitably located in said upright portion retaining said dog inthe folded position of said plate when said legs are in contractedposition.

3. A bracket having liner means to prevent wearing of the object towhich it is attached, attachment means releasably fixing said bracket tosaid object, a plate oscillatably attached to said bracket, a pluralityof spreadable legs on said plate, positioning means thereon, guide meanson said plate keeping said legs in sliding contact with said plate andstop means acting upon said legs limiting their motion in folded as wellas in spreaded position, said bracket having an upright portion, a baseportion crosswise extending therefrom carrying two spaced apart,downwardly protruding heels, and a slotted bottom portionperpendicularly disposed thereto and said posiin -up-and.down directionin said plate, a fulcrum pin oscillatabl mounting 'said legs andreciprocably arranged in said slot, said guide means including two flapssubstantially perpendicularly protruding from the bottom region of saidp-late'a'nd each'c'ontaining an aperture free fittingly encircling oneof said legs, and said stop means includinga cushion fixed to saidupright portionand adapted to be wedged between said legs in theircontracted position when said plate is foldedtoward said uprightportion.

4. Abracket having linermeans to prevent wearing of the object to whichit is attached, attachment means releasably fixing said bracket to saidobject; a plate oscillatably attached to said bracket, a plurality ofspreadable legs on said plate, positioning means thereon, guide means.on said plate keeping said legs in sliding contact with said plate andstop means acting upon said legs limiting their motion in folded as wellas in spreaded position, said bracket having an upright portion, a baseportion crosswise extending therefrom carrying two spaced apart,downwardly protruding heels, and a bottom portion perpendicularlydisposed thereto, and said positioning means including a cam fixed tosaid plate, a spring fixed to said bracket and coacting with suitablesurface portions of said cam for resiliently retaining it in folded andin unfolded positions, respectively, of said plate, a central slotrunning in up-and down direction in said plate, and 'a fulcrum pinreciprocably arranged in said slot and oscillatably mounting said legs.

5. A bracket having liner means to prevent wearing of the object towhich it is attached, attachment means releasably fixing said bracket tosaid object, a plate oscillatably attached to said bracket,- a pluralityof spreadable legs on said plate, positioningmeans thereon, guide meanson said plate keeping said legs in sliding contact with said plate andstop means acting upon said legs limiting their motion in folded as'well as in spreaded position, said bracket having an upright portion, abase portion crosswise extending therefrom carrying two spaced apart,downwardly protruding heels, and a bottom portion perpendicularlydisposed thereto, said positioning means including a cam fixed to saidplate, a spring fixed to said bracket and coasting with suitable surfaceportions of said cam for resiliently retaining it in folded and unfoldedpositions, respectively, of said plate, a central slot running in up-anddown direction in said plate, and a fulcrum pin reciprocably arranged insaid slot and oscillatably mounting said legs, said guide meansincluding two stirrups rigidly fixed to the bottom region of said plateprotruding therefrom sufficiently to encircle free fittingly each one ofsaid legs and said stop means including a dog fixed to said fulcrum pinand a correspondingly shaped aperture suitably located in said uprightportion retaining said dog in the folded position of said plate whensaid legs are in contracted position.

6. A bracket having liner means to prevent wearing of the object towhich it is attached, attachment means releasably fixing said bracket tosaid object, a plate oscillatably attached to said bracket, a pluralityof spreadable legs on said plate, positioning means thereon, guide meanson said plate keeping said legs in sliding contact with said plate andstop means acting upon said legs limiting their motion in folded aswell-as in spreaded position; said bracket having an upright portion, abase portion crosswise extending therefrom carrying two spaced apart,downwardly protruding heels, and a bottom portion perpendicularlydisposed thereto, said positioning means including a cam fixed to saidplate, a spring fixed to said bracket and coacting with suitable surfaceportions of said cam for 'resiliently retaining it in folded andunfolded positions, respectively, of said plate, a central slot runningin up-and down direction in said plate, and a fulcrum pin reciprocablyarranged in said slot and oscillatably mounting said legs, said guidemeans including two flaps substantially perpendicularly protruding fromthe bottom region of said plate and each containing an aperture freefittingly encircling one of said legs, said stop means including acushion fixed to said upright portion and adapted to be wedged betweensaid legs in their contracted position when said plate is folded towardsaid upright portion.

7. A bracket having liner means to prevent wearing of the object towhich it is attached according to claim 2 in which said heels and legs10 are provided each with a resilient end-cap having relatively highfrictional coefiicient for providing elastic support and preventingslipping of the device and injury to the operator.

8. A bracket having liner means to prevent wearing of the object towhich it is attached according to claim 3 in which said heels and legsare provided each with a resilient end-cap having relatively highfrictional coeflicient for providing elasticsupport and preventingslipping of the device and injury to the operator.

VICTOR JOSEPH LAWRENCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,472,664 Moon Oct; 30, 19231,673,205 Romao June 12, 1928 1,960,099 Donovan May 22, 1934 2,269,903Cox Jan. 13, 1942

